Whidbey Uparati Retreat, WA island building project, Washington real estate design, USA architecture photos

Whidbey Uparati Retreat in Washington

May 27, 2025

Design: Wittman Estes

Location: Whidbey Island, Washington State, USA

Photos by Andrew Pogue

Whidbey Uparati Retreat, USA

Floating above a meadow, Whidbey Uparati minimizes visual and physical impact on the natural landscape by blending into the site rather than asserting itself upon it. Upon approach, the meadow vegetation surrounds a winding path up a steady slope to the house. The house is a family retreat for meditation, bonding, and uparati – “stillness” in sanskrit.

The 1,880-square-foot house is perched above the natural surroundings. Meadow grasses and surround a muted cedar clad building with generous windows, connecting the house audibly and visually to the surrounding nature. A courtyard plan layout surrounds a crushed granite patio with reflecting pool, firepit, and a single Stewartia tree.

The owners often travel back home to India to partake in meditative retreats. They asked architect Matt Wittman to design a retreat that could serve as an escape from urban living and as site and house for meditative contemplation.

The house consists of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a multi-purpose room, and a living room and kitchen for communal activities. The transparency of the house invites residents to spend time together and enjoy the rural background, while the house’s location on the highest part of the lot allows for panoramic views of surrounding Useless Bay and the Olympic Mountains. During the warmer seasons, the owners can also enjoy a generous west facing deck.

The experience of the house starts with the journey from Bellevue. The owners cross the Puget Sound on the Mukilteo Clinton ferry, and head into the outlands of rural Whidbey Island. The driveway draws them closer, winding up a steady slope, through meadow vegetation – Blue Oat Grasses, Mexican Feather Grasses, Adagio Maiden Grasses – and summer blooming flowers – Cone Flowers and Flowering Sage. “We wanted to ‘rewild’ the site through landscaping,” says Jody Estes, the lead landscape designer. “It was important to remove invasive species and to create a plan for forest restoration.” A walking path that meanders around the perimeter of the five-acre lot. In a future phase, the walking path will lead into the forest to a meditation pavilion.

At the end of the path, entry stairs elevate the owners up into the house at its highest point. The low ceiling creates a moment of compression before stepping down into the more spacious living room and kitchen. Further in, the house becomes more transparent and floor-to-ceiling windows framing the views of water and mountains. The interior spaces are a study in simple wood details – plywood walls, cedar tongue and groove ceiling, and white oak floor.

Facing a limited budget, Wittman Estes designed the house to be simple to construct, reducing the construction timeframe and cost. “The simple wood structure follows a 4’ grid,” says Wittman. The floors and roof are framed with off-the-shelf TJIs spanning a rational order of columns and walls on 12’ and 16’ intervals.

The house is supported by a Ground Frame foundation system that eliminates concrete for the foundation of the house. This reduces the carbon footprint by 77% relative to the equivalent concrete foundation. The micro pile technology acts like roots for the house, anchoring it to the ground both structurally and visually.

With an interest in film, the clients wanted the house to provide a cinematic visual composition both for the interior and the exterior. The sequence of the interior spaces allows for light and shadow to shift the perspective and mood of each room like scenes in a Roger Deakins film. The interior palette draws on neutral tones as its base to allow for the residents’ objects to create punctuation of colour and visual focus.

The house is a contemporary retreat that offers a meditative connection with the natural surroundings. The quiet nature of the house’s material palette and structural simplicity allows its most coveted quality to be heard loud and clear – in stillness we can hear nature speak.

Whidbey Uparati Retreat on Whidbey Island, Washington – Building Information

Architecture and Interiors: Wittman Estes – https://www.wittman-estes.com/
Builder: JADE Craftsman Builders LLC
Structural Engineer: J Welch Engineer

Wittman Estes design team
Matt Wittman AIA, Principal Architect
Jody Estes
Nikki Sugihara

Indoor Outdoor Connections
-Anodized aluminum and wood windows and deck sliding doors
-Sliding glass door to deck and to courtyard
-Outdoor covered deck overlooking Useless Bay with views to Olympic Mountains
-Floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors open to reflecting pool and courtyard below
-Glass kitchen door to meadow outside
-Ample natural light
-Natural plywood and cedar materials to match surrounding woods and landscape
-Sheer shades to soften view and natural light
-Slatted covered porch nook at entry

Finish Materials
-1×4” tight knot cedar tongue and groove ceiling and exterior soffit
-¾” prefinished wide plank engineered white oak floor
-½” plywood prefinished Maple Sap Rotary Whole Piece grade ‘A’ or ‘C’, face fastened with finish screw, 1/8” rabbet between panels
-¾” birch plywood cabinets with ¾” prefinished maple plywood veneer faces, Clear Stain
-3/16” raw stainless-steel countertops, Orbital finish
-3/16” raw stainless-steel shelf, Orbital finish
-Bathroom wall tile: Highland Grigio by Surface Art
-Bathroom floor tile: Highland Grigio by Surface Art
-Skim-coated drywall with level 5 finish and flush base
-Cora light gray privacy shades from The Shade Store
-Custom 1 3/8” solid core flat panel maple veneer doors to match walls
-10 mm felt headboard

Hardware

-Custom hardware by Wittman Estes
oFridge/Dishwasher pulls: Custom stainless steel designed by Wittman Estes, fabricated by Helve House
oFront Door Pull: Custom stainless steel designed by Wittman Estes, fabricated by Helve House
oTowel racks and Hooks: Custom stainless steel designed by Wittman Estes, fabricated by Helve House
-Interior Door Hardware: Emtek Athena Lever handle with modern rosette in satin nickel
-Entry Door Hardware: Emtek Athena Brisbane single cylinder mortise entry set, satin nickel
-Smart Lock: Emtek Keypad Deadbolt, satin nickel
-Rain Chain: Seo Toh Cylinder rain chain in silver, 1 1/3”
-Cabinet/Drawer Pulls: Sugatsune SN-300/M edge pull in satin nickel
-Cabinet/Drawer Pulls: Sugatsune SN-120/M edge pull in satin nickel

Furniture/Artwork

-Sofa: Rove Concepts, Maria Sofa, Alesund
-Coffee Table: Muuto, Around Coffee Table, Black, Large
-Drapery: Handmade Linen from India
-Bar Stool: Design Within Reach, About A Stool, Black
-Dining Table: Norm Architects, Snaregade table, Black Oak Veneer
-Dining Chairs: Rove Concepts, Elbow Chair, Leather / Walnut
-Yoga Room Pedestal Tray: [mcginnis-lu], red oak 01 stand
-Exterior stool at deck: [mcginnis-lu], ipe 01, stool
-Exterior Chairs: Custom by Wittman Estes
-Living Room Art: “Doppler” by Nikki Sugihara
-Bedroom Art: “Salmon Ladder” by Nikki Sugihara

Lighting:

-Recessed Lights, Interior: 4” Halo series recessed cans in satin nickel
-Recessed Lights, Exterior: 4” Lithonia exterior recessed cans in brushed nickel
-Under Cabinet Lights: WAC LEDme, button light in brushed nickel
-Hallway Wall Sconce: In Common With, Hoist Sconce, matte black, Med shade with large glass
-Kitchen Island Pendants: Graypants Roest Pendant in rust/zinc, 2.5 DIA x 6” H
-Bedroom 105 Pendants: +Kouple S05 Spot in raw/natural
-Outdoor Sconce: Tech Lighting Vex 5 Outdoor wall sconce, black
-WAC round in ground light in stainless steel/frosted, 2”
-WAC submersible light in stainless steel, 2”
-Forbes & Lomax toggle and dimmer switches, stainless steel
-Lutron Claro outlets, gray/stainless steel
-Table Lamp: Mutuus

Appliances:

-Range: Fisher & Paykel RGV3-304-L 30” free standing gas range, stainless steel
-Range Hood: Kobe Brillia 157 30” concealed hood insert with 550 cfm internal fan
-Refrigerator: Fisher & Paykel RS2484WLU1 24” left hinge integrated column, Panel ready, plywood to match casework
-Dishwasher: Fisher & Paykel DD24DI9N 24” fully-integrated double drawer, custom panels
-Garbage Disposal: Insinkerator ¾ HP with 40 oz. continuous 1725 RPM disposer
-Laundry Washer/Dryer: Samsung 1823958 24” front load compact pair with SKDH stacking kit

Plumbing Fixtures:

-Kitchen Sink: Blanco Quatrus 518172 32” stainless undermount
-Kitchen Faucet: Rohl Pirellone CY57L-STN-2 single lever with pull-out spout, satin nickel
-Hot Water Faucet: Rohl Lux G7545LMSTN-2 single lever, satin nickel
-Bathroom Sink: Kohler Verticyl K-2882 19” rectangular undermount with vertical sides, white
-Bathroom Faucet: Kohler Purist K-T14414-4-BN, 9 ½” wall-mounted spout and double-lever, brushed nickel
-Bathroom Toilet: Duravit Darling New 254409 wall-mounted, white wondergliss
-Toilet Actuator: Duravit Actuator Plate A1 WD5008021090 wall-mounted, polished chrome
-Bathroom Shower Arm: Kohler K-26321-BN 12” ceiling-mounted, brushed nickel
-Bathroom Shower Head: Kohler K-13689-G-BN 10” ceiling-mounted, brushed nickel
-Bathroom Hand Wash: Kohler Shift K-21335-BN wall-mounted, brushed nickel
-Bathroom Linear Shower Drain: Hydro-Blok
-Bathroom Thermal Valve: Kohler Purist K-T14488-4-BN 6” wall-mounted, brushed nickel
-Bathroom Volume Valve: Kohler Purist K-T14490-4-BN 4” wall-mounted, brushed nickel
-Toilet Paper Holder: Custom stainless steel by Matt Kelly
-Towel Rack: Custom stainless steel by Helve House, Matt Kelly

Quotes from architect Matt Wittman

“Building a smaller footprint is one of the most sustainable choices we can make”

“We wanted the house to touch the ground lightly and float above the meadow”

“The simple post and frame structure was inspired by rural barns and haysheds on Whidbey Island. “

“We long to feel closer to nature.” “Being outside helps our minds focus and redirects our thoughts outwards”

“We designed to eliminate the use of concrete–most of the house is made from timber”

“Wood is the best environmental choice”

“The wood inside and out give a calmness”

“The U-shaped plan layout offers variety of sun and shade throughout the day and seasons.”

“The courtyard needed to be protected from the windy weather coming up from Useless Bay. The covered deck protects from the rain and sun, and steps down to be closer to the courtyard.”

“The clients wanted to feel both connected to, and protected from nature, both inside and outside.”

“Nature is not always benign; architecture must shelter us from it.”

“Ordinary materials are crafted in new ways to anchor the house to the place.”

“Rainwater is collected in a reflecting pool to visually unite the house with the Salish Sea.”

About Wittman Estes
Wittman Estes is an award-winning interdisciplinary collaboration led by architect Matt Wittman and landscape designer Jody Estes and founded on the idea that buildings and landscapes could be combined into one interconnected whole. The office is known for innovative designs, energy-positive prefab housing, multifamily housing, and for their ability to design for sensitive ecological sites. Wittman Estes has been published internationally including AD, ArchDaily, Dwell, Dezeen, Design Milk, Sunset, Gardenista, Luxe, and London’s Made magazine. Their work has been featured in galleries and exhibits in Seattle and San Francisco, and has received the AIA National Housing Award.

Photography: Andrew Pogue

Whidbey Uparati Retreat, Whidbey Island, Washington images / information received 270525

Location: Whidbey Island, Washington, USA

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